Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance. --Charles Lindbergh

Art therapists tend to love working with metaphors, and I'm no exception. Metaphors spontaneously arise in art and serve as an entry point for connection and meaning.

In my art therapy groups at the hospital and at the shelter where I work, I've been introducing new visual starting points for groups as a way to utilize the power of metaphor in creativity.

A while back I wrote a post on exploring resilience in art therapy by looking at photographs of resilience in nature and then having clients create their own symbols for inner resilience using nature imagery. I was struck by how difficult it can be for clients to come up with the ways they are resilient when asked in a literal sense. Yet when they had nature imagery to fuel the discussion and art making, they were able to identify their resilient qualities quite easily. For example in my groups I've heard phrases like “I bend like the tree but don't break,” or “I feel vulnerable like the flower but I've been able to push through hard experiences like the flower through pavement.” Since the resilience in nature group has seemed beneficial to many clients, I've been exploring other ways to explore our emotions and experiences through metaphor, while using pre-existing art as an inspiration. For the past couple of weeks I've been leading an “emotional landscape” art therapy group.

Inspiration & Brainstorming

I begin by placing some images of painted landscapes in the center of the table. I include a couple of well known paintings such as Van Gogh's Starry Night as well as works by newer contemporary artists (I have included my own work, some of which is pictured here). I aim for a wide range in style and mood. I'm often intrigued by how quickly the group members begin talking about the images and picking out their favorites while explaining why. It becomes clear that having the clients observe the artwork of others serves as an important connecting point for the group.

Art Time

After we talk about the images from other artists, I ask everyone to take a moment and get in touch with their inner world. A few deep breaths can help bring clients back into their bodies after a lively group discussion. Next I ask them to tune into their emotions as much as they feel comfortable doing. For some clients, this request might be too triggering. I find this especially true for clients who are extremely anxious or have significant trauma backgrounds. If it's too much to get in touch with an emotion in the present, I'll often ask them to do a brief review of their week and pick one predominant emotion for inspiration; being able to scan emotions over a longer time period is more accessible for certain clients. Then I ask them to imagine that their emotions could form a landscape. Some guiding considerations to prompt art might be: What would their emotional landscape look like in terms of color, intensity, setting, style, and feeling? I remind them that landscapes can be vastly different and can include settings like the woods, oceans, deserts, fields, mountains, etc.

Art Materials

Whenever possible I like to offer my groups a variety of materials from drawing to painting supplies. This allows clients to choose the material that resonates most with them.

When using only drawing materials, I place markers, colored pencils, and oil and chalk pastels on the table. Many clients enjoy chalk pastels since they are easy to blend. Also, chalk pastels may bring up feelings associated with being out of control for some. It is important to be mindful of the amount of dust chalk pastels can create and check beforehand to see if anyone has issues with the dust; they spread so quickly and smoothly that certain clients may be surprised and then overwhelmed to find the paper (and themselves) suddenly covered in chalk dust.

With painting I often offer acrylics because they lend themselves to multiple methods of handling and expression. Watercolor and watercolor crayons are also excellent choices for this exploration.

Processing The Art

Processing of the artwork often happens organically as clients make art. At other times I have completely silent groups during art making. I welcome the silence and never rush to fill it in with my own questions or comments. Silence can be supportive and grounding, especially as a sanctuary from the often frenetic energy of the hospital. If we have created in silence, I offer space for sharing and reflection towards the end. I might open up this part of group with questions such as:

Can you show us what you've created and say as little or as much about it as you'd like? What was this process like for you?Did anything that emerged in your piece surprise you?Did you plan the image out ahead of time or did it seem to emerge on its own?Does a title for your piece come to mind?If you could magically shrink in size and hop into your art, where would you like to land in the image? What would it feel like to walk through this landscape? Are there resting spots in it? Are there any areas you can't easily access?

If time allows I encourage clients to respond to their art piece with a few written lines in the form of a poem, question, or dialogue. They may also move in a way that represents the art or share a song that emerges while looking at the piece.

Why Emotional Landscapes?

Some therapists may steer away from an invitation to create directly from emotions—especially in an acute inpatient setting. It is always necessary to assess on a moment to moment basis and make creative therapeutic adjustments as you go. However, my core belief that you have to “feel it to heal it” is a guiding force for me as a therapist and on my own healing path.

Whenever we sit down with a group of individuals, there are feelings in the room. Many feelings. That's a given. At times it can be like addressing the elephant in the room, rather than trying to peer over the elephant as he sits in the center of the table (on the art supplies!) The ability to tap into metaphor—in this case the landscape—provides a direct yet perhaps gentler bridge into the realm of emotions.

Sara Roizen is an artist and licensed board-certified creative arts therapist. She received her BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Masters in Art Therapy from Pratt Institute. For Sara, art making is a way of life and imbues her days with a sense of purpose and joy. A version of this essay first appeared in the blog ﻿Art Therapy Spot﻿.